Finding and Working with Hypnotherapists

Hypnotherapy is sometimes used to complement traditional psychotherapy techniques, or as an alternate healing method if psychotherapy or medication is ineffective. While most psychologists and psychiatrists are familiar with hypnotherapy techniques, you may want to seek out a dedicated professional if you're considering hypnotherapy.

How Can Hypnotherapists Help You?

Hypnotherapy can help treat a number of conditions, alleviate stress and break habits. While hypnotherapy doesn't work for everyone in every case, it may be used to:

• Deal with past traumatic events and PTSD symptoms
• Ease stress and anxiety before childbirth or surgery
• Help break bad habits, such as compulsive overeating or smoking
• Help treat anxiety, insomnia and depression
• Manage pain and stress
• Prepare pregnant women for the birthing process
• Treat some phobias and anxiety disorders.

Find and Choose a Hypnotherapist

Your primary mental health care provider can likely help you find a hypnotherapist that can help with your condition. Other sources of referrals include the Internet, your local chamber of commerce and friends and family.

Before your initial therapy session, ensure the therapist is qualified—and a good match for you—by asking them questions about their affiliations and specialties, such as:

• Are you a member of any professional associations?
• Do you offer a free consultation?
• Do you specialize in any certain traumas?
• How long have you been a hypnotherapist?
• How many sessions does it normally take to see results?
• What are your rates? Do you have a sliding scale?
• Where did you receive your training?

In addition, it's important to choose a hypnotherapist with whom you feel comfortable and relaxed. A soothing office environment and a warm, open personality in a therapist may help make your session successful. Hypnotherapy can be quite a humbling experience, as you may be revealing personal information. A hypnotherapist you can trust can make this vulnerability easier to deal with.

Making the Most of Hypnotherapy

Enter your hypnotherapy sessions with an open mind. If you don't think that hypnotherapy will accomplish anything, then it probably won't. Without an open mind, it's difficult to achieve the full relaxation that's necessary in order to accomplish your goals.

If you're worried about confidentiality, rest assured that your information won't be shared. A licensed and certified hypnotherapist will keep session details confidential, and will only release reports with your written authorization.

Resources

American Association of Professional Hypnotherapists. (n.d.). How to choose a hypnotherapist. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.aaph.org/howto_choose

Find Counseling. (n.d.). Choosing a hypnotherapist. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.findcounseling.com/journal/hypnosis-hypnotherapy/hypnotherapists-hypnotherapist.html

Rhodes, J. (2009). The five elements of a hypnotherapy session. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.mental-health-matters.com/index.php?option=com_content